Dye lasers, and particularly organic dye lasers, have certain, unique features. Depending on the specific dye in the laser, the output wavelength is tunable over a bandwidth of approximately 100 nanometers. Dye lasers can operate from the ultraviolet to the infrared, and a single laser resonator cavity can be used to cover this entire wavelength range simply by changing dyes and coatings on the intra-cavity optical components.
Threshold pump power for solid-state dye lasers vary depending on the gain material, and the laser cavity design, but are typically several kilowatts. As laser diodes tend to be multi-watt devices, the concept of direct diode pumping of solid-state dye lasers is remote, requiring literally thousands of laser diodes. It would therefore be desirable a system and/or method by which fewer laser diodes would be able to achieve dye laser threshold.